Advice from Canadian ex-pats to Ontarians: Don’t let reopening fool you, COVID-19 is still lurking dangerously!
Far away from their home and native land, Canadians living abroad are keeping a watchful eye on what is happening back home in Canada, during the deadly COVID-19 outbreak and are concerned that a careless reopening process could plunge Toronto and Ontario back into the worst of the pandemic abyss.
More businesses and public places across the province are set to reopen this week as Ontario slowly eases into back-to-work mode after months of lockdown.
Premier Doug Ford has warned Ontarians to brace for a possible second wave of coronavirus infections, a follow-up rush of positive cases, as has been seen in some places in other parts of the world.
Canadian expats, especially those who reside in areas where a new surge of infections forced authorities to bring back lockdown measures, say Ontarians should continue to be more observant of the health restrictions if they want to avoid a massive COVID-19 comeback.
People not taking this seriously was the biggest pitfall," said David Ivkovic, a resident of Los Angeles who just watched the state of California shut down again after attempts to reopen led to an immediate jump in new infections.
Ivkovic, who works in real estate, and his actress wife Renee Percy, moved from Toronto to L.A. about 10 years ago. When the state of California moved through the reopening phases, the family chose to stay put. Ivkovic continued to cut his wife's hair as he had during the lockdown; he even coloured her roots once. They avoided going out to eat at patios. They continued making yard visits" with a couple of their close friends.
It didn't surprise them when California abruptly shut down again, as it was pretty clear" that opening too soon would be risky.
As he watches Ontario doors flinging the doors open on restaurants, gyms and theatres, Ivkovic just hopes people don't fall into the same trap.
Gathering in large crowds without wearing a mask, or thinking you are making a political statement at the grocery store is just stupid, dangerous and selfish," he said.
Ivkovic went to Ryerson at the same time as Nick Cordero. The actor recently died from COVID-19. It brought home the seriousness of the pandemic to Ivkovic.
It's not just elderly people at risk," he said. Listen to health professionals! Don't act like a petulant child when you are told to make a personal sacrifice for the greater good of the community!"
Always err on the side of caution is the advice Erin Buckley Burnett gives to the people of Ontario. Originally from Toronto, she and her family live in southern California, but, last month, they made a work trip to Sarasota, Florida, where they still are located.
They're dismayed as the state's beaches get constantly crowded with no physical distancing measures in place. Businesses are mostly operating, and very few people care to put on masks, and some of those who do wear them improperly.
What we see in our interactions with locals is truly a general distrust of the science and numbers being reported," she said as she praised people in Toronto and Ontario for generally following guidelines from public health officials.
Due mainly to the defiant behaviour of people in Florida, the state has become the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic as daily new infections reached more than 15,000 in recent weeks.
Buckley Burnett said a number of her friends in California have created what they called quarantine pacts," a concept similar to community bubbles here in Ontario, where a few people form an exclusive circle to socialize with.
She said some even go as far as testing for COVID-19 up front before joining, just to give people a greater sense of safety.
Things won't be back to normal for some time, and seeing businesses open can give you a false sense of security," she said, as she encouraged Ontarians to continue distancing, avoiding crowds, wearing masks and washing hands.
Everything has its risks. It's summertime and I know everyone is eager to socialize and enjoy the short barbecue season with friends, but the greater the group of friends and family you are exposed to, the more risk for everyone."
From Vienna, Austria, Steven Donald is very concerned" about the reopening process here in Ontario. His daughter lives near the Danforth, and they've kept in communication via Zoom and Skype during the pandemic.
Donald said Austria has had the virus under control for the past few months, and it's because everything shut down and strict measures were imposed and adhered to very early in the outbreak. Life has now returned to what resembles normal, as restaurants and all other businesses open and people return to work. But even today, public transit requires riders wear a mask.
Mandatory mask-wearing is only now becoming somewhat enforced (in Ontario), such as on the TTC or in stores. It should not be an option or be argued (about). It's the proven way to reduce the spread.
Why did it take so long and why do some people challenge the advice?" Donald said.
Ontarians must follow the lead of European countries and properly follow public health advice during the reopening process, otherwise the infection rates and death rates like we see in the U.S. will just get higher and higher," he said.
Melissa Legner, a Torontonian living in Vienna for the past nine years, said strong enforcement of rules is an effective tool to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Yesterday, I took the underground (U-bahn) in the city and counted one person who wasn't wearing a mask. One!" she said, explaining her family members back in Toronto have told her how it's frustrating" to see people wandering around in public without a mask and with nobody to hold them accountable. Back in March, when restrictions were introduced in Vienna, authorities issued more than 500 ticket fines in the first four days, she said.
Legner said it will take everyone's effort and commitment to follow public health guidelines for Ontario to avoid plunging back into the COVID-19 outbreak, as Austria managed to avoid doing.
We will live with coronavirus until a vaccine is available globally," she said.
Gilbert Ngabo is a Star breaking news reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @dugilbo